Observational Astronomy

We are delighted to announce that our Open Houses have returned to their in-person format since the Winter of 2024. On the last Wednesday of every month, we give a presentation on an astronomical topic under the dome in the Lockhart Planetarium. Topics change every month and range from research being done in the Department of Physics and Astronomy to what we can see in the night sky that month. Presentations are live and interactive and given by an expert astronomer. For more details on the topics each month, please see the Open Houses page.

The planetarium is also available to be rented should your group wish to hear about a particular topic.

Please reach out to Danielle.Pahud@umanitoba.ca for any questions or inquiries.

The University is currently closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which will unfortunately suspend our monthly Open Houses for the time being as well as our much anticipated opening of the newly renovated and updated planetarium. While we are sad not to be able to welcome guests at this time, we encourage everyone to adhere to PHAC guidelines and to stay home.

https://www.spitzcreativemedia.com/c-solar-superstorms-university-of-manitoba/

The University is currently closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which will unfortunately suspend our monthly Open Houses for the time being as well as our much anticipated opening of the newly renovated and updated planetarium. While we are sad not to be able to welcome guests at this time, we encourage everyone to adhere to PHAC guidelines and to stay home.

The University is currently closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which will unfortunately suspend our monthly Open Houses for the time being as well as our much anticipated opening of the newly renovated and updated planetarium. While we are sad not to be able to welcome guests at this time, we encourage everyone to adhere to PHAC guidelines and to stay home.

The University is currently closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which will unfortunately suspend our monthly Open Houses for the time being as well as our much anticipated opening of the newly renovated and updated planetarium.  While we are sad to not be able to welcome guests at this time, we encourage everyone to adhere to PHAC guidelines and to stay home.

Spitz, Inc. has generously formatted some Full-Dome content to be viewable on a computer monitor and we are happy to be sharing it here.  We’ll be posting a new video about every week. These videos are for your personal enjoyment and are not to copied ( there is a copyright statement that scrolls through every few minutes), though sharing the link below is welcome.

April 6th, 2020 – The Zula Patrol : Under The Weather

This video is for our youngest audiences.  Come learn about weather on Earth and on other planets in our solar system with the Zula Patrol.

https://www.spitzcreativemedia.com/c-zula-utw-university-of-manitoba/

The Lockhart Planetarium Open Houses will continue through the spring.  The Open Houses will take place at 7:00 pm on the last Wednesday of every month.  The Open Houses will take place in University College, room 240.  Weather permitting, a guided visit to the Ewen Campus Observatory will be offered. In the case of clear skies, visitors are encouraged to stay for some astronomical observing.

Please note that the February 26th Open House has been cancelled. Our apologies.

January 29th, 2020  –  7:00 pm  –  240 University College  –  Dr. Renée Desjardins – Diversity in Citizen Science : What’s Lost in Translation?

The Lockhart Planetarium Open Houses will continue through the fall.  The Open Houses will take place at 7:00 pm on the last Wednesday of every month, with the exception of December.  The Open Houses will take place in University College, room 240.  Weather permitting, a guided visit to the Ewen Campus Observatory will be offered. In the case of clear skies, visitors are encouraged to stay for some astronomical observing.

September 25th, 2019  –  7:00 pm  –  240 University College  –  Dr. Yjan Gordon –

‘Goofy acROnyms in AstroNomy (GROAN), and the science behind them’

October 30th, 2019  –  7:00 pm  –  240 University College  –  Dr. Michelle Boyce –

‘Choosing a Telescope : My experience as a Budding Astronomer’

November 27th, 2019  –  7:00 pm  –  240 University College – Chelsea Braun

‘ Nucleosynthesis : How heavy elements are created’

The Open Houses will continue on the last Wednesday of every month throughout the spring and summer of 2019.  All Open Houses will begin at 7:00 pm and take place in room 240 University College.  Weather permitting, there will be a telescope tour and observing on the roof, the Ewen Campus Observatory.

May 29th, 2019 — Stellar Diversity

June 26th, 2019 —

July 31st, 2019 —

August 28th —

Winter 2019 Open Houses

The Astronomy Open Houses will resume January 2019 and continue throughout the winter and spring.  The Open Houses will be help at 7:00 pm on the last Wednesday of each month from January to April, inclusive. Please note that due to the planetarium itself being under renovation and large crowd sizes, we will be hosting the Open Houses in Room 240 of University College. Details below:

January 30 th – 7:00 pm – University College, Room 240    – –  From Fuzzy Clouds to Island Universes: The history of extragalactic astronomy

February 27 th – 7:00 pm – University College, Room 240    – –  The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe: How far are things, anyway?

March 27 th- 7:00 pm – University College, Room 240   – – TBD

April 24 th- 7:00 pm – University College, Room 240   – – TBD

The Astronomy Open Houses will continue throughout the fall.  The Open Houses will be help at 7:00 pm on the last Wednesday of each month from September from November, inclusive. Please note that due to the planetarium itself being under renovation and large crowd sizes, we will be hosting the Open Houses in Room 240 of University College. Details below:

September 26 th – 7:00 pm – University College, Room 240    – –  Solar System Formation

October 31 st – 7:00 pm – University College, Room 240    – –  The Dark Universe

November 28 th- 7:00 pm – University College, Room 240   – – The Early Universe

We will not have an Open House in December. Open Houses will resume in January.